Capitals Insider: September 12, 2010 - September 18, 2010

Here's a transcript of General Manager George McPhee's comments to reporters this afternoon: On why he opted to keep the same core of players together for this year: We had a fabulous season last year and for about six and a half months we were a terrific team and in...

Among the main story lines as the Washington Capitals begin training camp today at KCI is the goalie competition between Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth. While Varlamov may have a slight edge at the moment, Neuvirth will have every opportunity to show he should be the starter when Washington opens...

Here are some early notes from Day 1 of training camp: *Group B has been on the ice for a little while now and Tomas Fleischmann is centering a line with Brooks Laich and Alexander Semin on the wings. *Coach Bruce Boudreau likes to skate players hard on the first...

Washington Capitals training camp has begun at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, with players skating on both ice surfaces. Right now Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Knuble, all in red jerseys, are among those skating with Group A on the main sheet under the watchful eye of Coach Bruce Boudreau. Starting...

While there will be several positional battles that play out over the course of the next three weeks before the Capitals' season opener against Atlanta on Oct. 8, perhaps none will extend beyond these training camp days quite like the one in goal. After Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth spent...

Below are the group rosters for main training camp, but first here are a few notes on other moves the Capitals made today. Goaltender Jared DeMichiel has been assigned to Hershey where he will compete in Bears training camp, which opens on Sept. 27. Defenseman Patrick McNeill will not participate...

Thursday's contest marked the end of rookie camp and with only a day before on-ice activities begin for regular training camp on Saturday, which young player(s) are you most curious to see in practice alongside the veterans and perhaps in a few preseason games? Let's look at some of the...

(Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post) Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee has quietly, almost silently, become the most enduring sports executive in Washington, a town of inordinate athletic turnover. And he's still a scrappy fighter for his team. Click here to read Barry Svrluga's profile, which chronicles the series of...

Cody Eakin might have started a little slowly against the Flyers on Thursday afternoon, but the 2009 draft pick responded well, topping off his performance with an unassisted game-winner in the Capitals' 4-3 win at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. The goal was a nice backhanded shot that found the upper corner...

Mike Green is also back in town after taking part in the NHL's media tour in New York City. In addition to recapping his summer, Green voiced his intent to take on a leadership role this year as the Capitals prepare to rely on a young group of defensemen --...

Alex Ovechkin skated at Kettler Capitals Iceplex this morning for the first time since last spring. Here's a transcript of his media scrum after the veterans' informal workout: On the summer: It was a pretty fun summer, just chill with my friends; go out almost every night. On the longest...

The Morning Roundup makes its triumphant return to Capitals Insider today, with a few tweaks -- including a new logo. The regular feature will be less of an exhaustive list of links and more of a conversation starter to kick off the day, but it will still include links to...

Center Eric Belanger, who signed a one-year, $750,000 deal with the Phoenix Coyotes Tuesday, was on a sports talk radio show this morning on Montreal's The Team 990 talking about his situation with the Capitals and future in Phoenix. Audio of Belanger's comments on the show can be found here...

Here's an excerpt from tomorrow's story on free agent center Eric Belanger signing with the Coyotes. According to Belanger's agent, there was an agreement with the Capitals that fell through. You can read the whole story here. Free agent center Eric Belanger signed a one-year contract with the Phoenix Coyotes...

The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that they have signed center Eric Belanger to a one-year contract reportedly worth $750,000. The announcement comes after several weeks after a report in The Globe and Mail stated that Belanger could be returning to Washington, where he played 17 games last season after being...

Defenseman Tom Poti skated this morning for the first time since suffering that gruesome eye injury in Game 6 of the Capitals first-round series against Montreal. The oldest returning member of the Capitals' defense is healthy and ready for a new season to start -- with a visor attached to...

Joe Finley during rookie camp in 2009. (John McDonnell -TWP) On the third day of rookie camp here at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, defenseman Joe Finley has been making a name for himself by using his size (6-7, 229 pounds) to turn back charging forwards at the blueline. But Finley,...

In addition to some on-ice testing, the Capitals rookie camp participants took part in another lengthy workout this morning as they were on the ice for the better part of two and a half hours. Here's some of what Coach Bruce Boudreau had to say after the second session: *...

(Joel Richardson, TWP) At just 19, center Cody Eakin has left an impression on coaches throughout the Capitals organization and elsewhere prior to the start of his second rookie camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex this week. But Eakin, who tallied 47 goals for the WHL's Swift Current Broncos and...

Here are some notes from an already hoarse Coach Bruce Boudreau during the media scrum at the first day of camp: *It looks as though 2010 third round draft pick and usual right wing Stanislav Galiev, who still has a year of junior eligibility left, will get time at center...

Anthony Pisano (white jersey) and Marcus Johansson (red) await the puck in front of goaltender Jared DeMichiel on the first day of rookie camp at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. If you're not already, you can follow DeMichiel on Twitter. Check back in a bit for some notes and quotes from...